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Origin and history

The castle of Auxonne is a former 15th century castle, built on the order of King Louis XI in 1479 to supervise the Bourguignons and the border with the Germanic Empire. It replaces a first castle destroyed in 1412, and integrates into a defensive system including the castles of Dijon and Beaune. Its construction, entrusted to Vauzy de Saint-Martin, was completed around 1493. The castle adopts a pentagonal shape of 400 meters perimeter, with five round towers connected by courtines, including the Notre-Dame tower, 22 meters high and 6 meters wide at its base.

In the 16th century, Kings Louis XII and Francis I strengthened the compound, adding barracks and residences of the Governor. In the 17th century, Louis XIV commissioned Vauban to integrate Auxonne into his iron belt, transforming the city into a military stronghold. The Notre Dame Tower houses a Bonaparte museum from 1970 to 2012. The castle, partially listed as a historical monument since 1926, retains its towers, courtesies and portery, witness to its strategic role between the kingdom of France and the German Empire.

The site controlled a key crossing point of the Saône, between Dole (capital of Burgundy County) and Dijon. Its architecture combines medieval influences, such as the 13th century Albarran towers — rare defensive devices in France, more common in Spain or Rhodes — and modern arrangements under Vauban. The Royal Gate (17th century), the Tower of the Sign (sign of Francis I) and the Tower of Belvoir still mark the urban enclosure, reflecting its military evolution over five centuries.

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